The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said he owes nobody any apology for kneeling down to worship God during the thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Paul’s Anglican Church, Ife, after his coronation.
The Ooni said this in statement in Osogbo on Thursday by the Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Ife, Mr. Moses Olafare.
The monarch spoke in reaction to criticisms against him by an online medium that he knelt down to worship God during the church service.
Ogunwusi said it was wrong to equate any king, no matter his status, with the Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth, saying the comment was an attempt to embarrass the throne.
Ogunwusi said since the Almighty God is not Ooni or any king’s mate, he would not stop to worship and revere Him because it was God who enthroned him.
The statement partly read, “It is sacrilege to equate Ooni’risa or other kings to the Almighty God. God is the creator of mankind and it is God that made it possible for the enthronement of any king.
“The attention of Ile Oodua has been drawn to a publication released on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 by an online medium, in which His Imperial Majesty, Ooni’risa and Arole Oodua, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), was criticised for bowing to God.
“God remains the highest, the King of kings who has kept all kings alive and has made it possible for me to be crowned as the king of the source of Yoruba civilisation.
“I have no regret whatsoever for kneeling down to exalt the Almighty God, who did not only create me, but also kept me alive, saw me through all the storms in my life journey and eventually crowned me as the custodian of the Oodua race.
“This act of equating me with the God of gods, of the King of kings and the sole owner of the universe is sacrilege planned to embarrass the throne.
My emergence as Oba has been made possible only by the Almighty Olodumare, to whom I remain eternally grateful.”
(Punch)
